1007.] on the Gixildhall Librarij. 477 



gestions were contributed, more particularly by the gentlemen who 

 formed the deputation from America. One of the results for the 

 Guildhall Library was the formation of a card catalogue, which I 

 designed and completed between 1878 and 1883. Of this catalogue 

 it is only necessary to say here that it is now indispensable to 

 both officers and readers, and is much appreciated by other librarians 

 at home and abroad, judging from the frequent applications which 

 I haye receiyed for particulars of its construction. In 1879, a printed 

 catalogue of the Dutch Church Library appeared. 



In June 1888, I became Librarian on the death of Mr. Oyerall, 

 whose health had been failing for some time past. He had been 

 connected with the Library since 1857, and had seryed the Corpora- 

 tion altogether for forty years. In the following October, a yaluable 

 gift was receiyed from tlae trustees of the British Museum of 5000 

 volumes and a considerable number of pamphlets from their duplicate 

 stock, which was then being distributed to various public libraries. 

 A bequest of 632 books was received from the executors of Mr. W. T. 

 Wingrove in 1889. In April 1890, the Gaisford sale took place, 

 at which were purchased 239 volumes of early plays and poems by 

 writers of the seventeenth century ; many of these books were first 

 editions, several from the presses of early London printers, and all 

 were beautifully bound. Purchases were also made later in the year 

 at the sale of Mr. T. C. Xoble, a well-known London antiquary. 

 Other important additions were a selection from the library at Moor 

 Hall, Harlow, Essex, and the presentation of collections of works 

 upon gardening and cookery by the Worshipful Companies of 

 Gardeners and Cooks, respectively. 



The manuscript collections relating to the Aldermen of London, 

 made by Mr. J. J. Stocken, were purchased at his death, and at the 

 Gennadius sale important purchases were made of books on art, 

 bibliography, and Byroniana. Yaluable books were also secured at 

 the sales of the libraries of Mr. J. Anderson Rose, Mr. R. M. Holborn, 

 and the first and second parts of the sale of the Earl of Ashburnham's 

 Library. 



Two acquisitions of special importance must be more particularly 

 mentioned. By the bequest of Dr. Willshire, the weU-known 

 authority upon ancient prints, the Corporation became the possessors 

 of his library and collection of prints illustrating the history of the 

 art of engraving from its earliest period. On the death of Mr. Alfred 

 Cock, Q.C., his fine collection of books written by, or relating to. 

 Sir Thomas More and his friend Erasmus, was purchased by 

 subscription and presented to the Library. Special interest attaches 

 to this gift as More was, as I have already mentioned, an officer of 

 the Corporation of London, and in all probability a frequent reader 

 in the old Library of Sir Richard Whittington. 



